July 27, 2021
Public scrutiny of the way in which corporations incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices into their business strategies has been rising over the past decade. That scrutiny reached an inflection point in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic focused a spotlight on many social aspects of ESG management. Investors responded by pouring nearly $1.7 trillion into funds that focus on ESG issues, driving related assets up by a remarkable 29% in the fourth quarter alone.